Total Knee Replacement and Hyaluronic Acid Shot experiences?

[marymmcc]

I had a total knee replacement at age 60, I am 65 now. The recovery for me took an entire year before I was" pain free" and I still don't have a complete range of motion. As awful as that year was, it was worth it. I began playing tennis at 61. My knee does not bother me at all and I play singles 3 times a week. I would like to get a few other parts replaced too

 

[Injured Again]

I had a total knee replacement at age 60, I am 65 now. The recovery for me took an entire year before I was" pain free" and I still don't have a complete range of motion. As awful as that year was, it was worth it. I began playing tennis at 61. My knee does not bother me at all and I play singles 3 times a week. I would like to get a few other parts replaced too

First of all, in my previous post, a couple of people had wondered how I beat a UTR 12. That was a typo - it was a WTN 12, which is quite diferent.

As far as knee replacement recovery, one friend was back on the court playing singles, in competition, at three months. That's probably the best outcome I know of. Most people are playing well by six months but no one at my Club, including those of relatively the same age who are better than me, spend as much time in the gym or doing other athletic things as I do. I hope that would help the recovery process but another friend who is two months older than me, who was a former professional cyclist and is still trim, fit, and light weight today, took several months for his recovery to be complete. I've got a good 40 or 50 pounds on him so I would also expect more time required to heal up to the point that the knee could support the greeater forces I would put imto the joint.

There's also that I was told near the beginning of my injury that a replacement knee wouldn't be as good as what I had prior to the injury, though I never physically recovered to more than about 70-80% of that capability and now live with some discomfort every day.

I had a bad day hiking yesterday and could not go downhill without pain. Only made about 8 miles and I could barely walk the rest of the day. Heading out now for a couple of hours on the bike hoping that the movement will make the knee feel better - it usually does.

Last thing - some people don't seem to rscover enough range of motion and there's a procedure called a "manipulation" where they put you out under anaesthsia and then forcibly work the knee through the full range of motion. You're unconscious because it's apparently extremely painful but it does seem to help. Another friend at the tennis club had this done. He's in his later 70's and is now planning to play and contend for the state championships in 75 singles.

Lots of things to give me hope, and lots of uncertainties to give me worry. But I don't want to have this level of discomfort doing the things I like, and am not willing to give up those same things to forestall the knee replacement.

Best of luck to everyone.

 

[Mongolmike]

I think anyone who is back doing ANYTHING vigorous after a total knee replacement is foolish. The example I have explained to others is a broken leg. If you get a broken leg, you are in a cast and your leg is immobilized for 6-8 weeks. That's for a simple broken bone. For a total knee replacement, your leg is literally cut into pieces AND a significant chunk is removed. Why would anyone think it is a good idea to rush back to anything strenuous after that in just 12 weeks?

I know more than a couple people who had TKR and rushed back in 3, 4, 5 months. All were very proud of themselves. However, EACH one of them now walks with a limp, or has lingering knee concerns. They put the blame on the operation just didn't work right. My opinion, they short-suited their rehab (probably because it is uncomfortable) and they rushed back. IMO, they aren't tough or worthy of being proud, or whatever.... they are foolish.

Follow the doctor's orders. Follow the physical therapists suggestions. I guarantee that neither are going to suggest or ok anyone being back to running a 5k or playing tennis, or softball within 4 months of a TKR.

Also, he is just one person/one example, but look at Andy Murray. He's had 2 hip surgeries, but as far as I know, NOT a hip replacement.

1st, he is much younger than most of us who have had or are considering a knee replacement.
2nd, he got the best possible medical care that a wealthy professional famous athlete could get.
3rd, he probably had the best possible assisted comprehensive physical therapy attention imaginable... I'm gonna guess better than the average Joe doing stretches at home alone with a stretch bands and 3 visits a week for 12 weeks visiting a PT for 1 hour 3 times a week

He didn't have a total hip replacement, and with the above.... how long was he out? 9 months? 10 months?? Idk, it was a reasonable length of time, but average Joe, who does not have access to world class care can be back on the court in 3, 4 months? Foolish. It's NOT a race. It's your long term health.

 

[Mongolmike]

I had a total knee replacement at age 60, I am 65 now. The recovery for me took an entire year before I was" pain free" and I still don't have a complete range of motion. As awful as that year was, it was worth it. I began playing tennis at 61. My knee does not bother me at all and I play singles 3 times a week. I would like to get a few other parts replaced too

I had mine at 58 (?). Had mine in October with a goal to play league the following May.

After about 6 months I started gentle, slow jogging indoors on a stable track. Felt weird.... REALLY weird.
Early April I went to my first group drill, explained to the pro that I was going to take it easy, and did. Ran at like 50%, did not do any severe stops/starts/ change of directions.
By mid May I was playing. No pain, discomfort, but still was not 100% confident in what the knee could take. Felt about 80% of normal.
Probably a little over a year for me until I felt 100% confident. I doubt anyone watching me move on the court would suspect I have a fake knee. 0 pain. I have lost some flexibility, but I can do anything a fairly fit old fart can do.
Stairs, running, biking, skating, all fine. I was even doing Warrior Dash obstacle races until covid. No issues.

Do your rehab. Don't cheat yourself. Range of motion is more important than recovering strength. The strength will come, but you got to hit the range of motion HARD early. Push yourself hard on range of motion, then push a little more. After like 4, 6 weeks, your gains of range of motion gets really small, and keeps getting harder and harder to get even 1 degree of range. Cannot emphasize enough, hit the range of motion exercises really hard. It's gonna hurt, but keep pushing beyond. It WILL be worth it.

 

[onehandbh]

Hello all. Hope you are all doing well.

I haven't been on here in several weeks. I had HA shots in each knee just before going to Italy for a month and in all the walking and climbing stairs with 100 pounds of luggage in hand, I had minimal symptoms. I came back really hopeful that the HA shots would help my mobility around the court.

That wasn't the case. The twisting and bending are the main pain producers and those issues have only minimally decreased. I still can't run and I only have about three steps of faster mobility in any direction. The knee stiffness is returning slowly so I'm pretty sure the effects of the HA shots won't last until my next injections at the six month mark in October. My right knee is now starting to experience the same kind of pain as my left knee.

The bad thing is I'm hitting the ball as well as any time in the last several years. I do have some days when the knees are fairly decent and on one of those, I beat an age group player in the 55's with a UTR of 12.xx and he was trying. I'm rallying weekly now with guys my age who were division 1 standouts in their day and holding my own.

But I have too many bad days when getting out of a chair is painful, and getting out of a car after driving for a couple of hours seems almost impossible. I have plans this year to do the iconic hike in our state with my son in about four weeks. It's 20 miles with 4800 feet of elevation gain and 7000 feet of descent. From a fitness aspect I could do it but my knees can't seem to tolerate more than about 12 miles and almost lock up on long downhill stretches.

So I have an appointment with my surgeon in about three weeks. I think the plan now is to do a total left knee replacement in October, and my right knee in about February 2024. That will give me time to fully rehab and take on the 65's in 2026.

It's pretty disappointing. I had such high hopes because I felt so good in Italy but walking comfort doesn't translate into court capability. I think my other worry is that whatever the reason for my good timing at this moment, that it will be gone after I get the knees done and get back on court. I really do wonder if I'll ever be able to hit again like I am doing now. I'll be another year older by the time I should be fully healed.

The best to all of you and hope you're all healthy and enjoying life!

Going down hills and declines during hikes (or stairs) is harder on the knees than going up. I enjoy hiking as well. If the decline is very steep, one thing you can do is to go sideways. Hard to explain but keep your body, legs, foot, etc facing sideways as you descend. Much easier on the knees. When it is really steep (e.g. more than 45 degrees) I often turn around and go backwards. Much safer this way also bc if I slip then it is easier for me to use my arms & hands to grab onto something.

Or if the hike is on a road or wider path you can go in a rounded zig zag pattern going down hills.

 

[TripleB]

Please let is know how the knee replacement surgery went. I hate to say it but sooner than later I a going to need a knee replacement. I hope everything went well and that you are recovery is also going well.

It's been about 11.5 weeks since my robot assisted total knee replacement surgery...sorry I meant to give an update earlier than this!

Surgery went great - don't remember a thing from the entire day! Doc originally thought I was a little young (55 at the time) to have TKR but after getting in there he said I was definitely in need of a new knee. Week one was fantastic with amazing range of motion and not feeling much pain.

Then week two hit and I became a physical, mental, and emotional wreck! Couldn't take anti-inflammatory meds because I had to be on blood thinners for the first two weeks after surgery, more pain, more swelling, range of motion wasn't what it was the first week, and the inflating/deflating of the leg compression sleeves I had to wear 24/7 drove me crazy.

Luckily I had some incredible physical therapists who helped me physically, mentally, and emotionally weeks 3 through 6. They were a God send!!! Since week 6 the leg has gradually gotten stronger and I'm 100% glad I had it done...I wasn't sleeping prior to surgery and since week 4 after surgery I've been sleeping great! Range of motion is 130 degrees after a little stationary bike warm up...doc is happy with that. Still a bit swollen, at times stiff, and buckles on me when I'm walking from time to time, but I'm really happy with the progress. It doesn't quite feel like a natural knee right now but I'm thankful that it doesn't hurt a bit any longer.

I plan to start with some light dinking (pickleball) on August 1st. Doc told me not to go all the way up to 70% of playing until 6 months after surgery and don't try 95% of my full potential until after a year. I'm going to listen because I don't want to force anything too soon!

TripleB

 

[a10best]

I'm now two days short of 28 weeks since my second meniscus tear. I had a couple of week vacation in Florida where all we did was walk and I worked out in the gym almost every day. Without playing tennis, I found that my knees actually became more stiff and uncomfortable during normal activity. But they did have two weeks of "downtime" and since returning last Friday, I've been on court almost every day.

I've gained a few pounds over the last couple of months, and went through a period where my entire body just didn't feel good. Now with the longer days, that seems to help my mentality and I seem to have fully recovered from feeling just generally yucky about a month ago. The two weeks of rest and gym rehab also let my shoulder heal up and I can serve again with no pain. Also after coming back and doing a lot more stationary bike riding and heavier leg resistance training, the knees feel really good on court. As an example, just today I played a guy who has a winning record at 40+ 4.5 singles. I was up 6-1 5-3 and serving for the match when I ran out of gas. I lost that second set 7-5 and made a huge effort in the ten-point tiebreak, going up 9-4 before getting wobbly-kneed and LOSING 12-10. Ouch. But I was able to run for dropshots, get into and out of deep corners, and plant and twist without any bad sensations. Only when I plant and then have to lunge do I feel anything, and the times I do get a twinge, it's gone within 20-30 seconds.

I'm going to start the process to get a second hyaluronic acid shot in my left knee. My first shot was early September and so I'm hoping to get my second shot in March. I'm considering those shots as help prevent further deterioration more than providing relief of symptoms. I've also continued taking the Vital Proteins collagen. I can't be absolutely sure how much it helps, if any, but I am absolutely not going to jinx the recovery I have had since I started it.

If I can get my knee feeling as good when I'm not exercising as it does just doing my everyday living, I will have considered this a full recovery. I still am a little hesitant to go 100% on the tennis court but going 90% feels comfortable and the knee never feels like it is at risk of reinjury. I feel confident enough to have scheduled a couple of long hikes with my son for this coming year, doing Half-Dome at Yosemite (16 miles, 4000 feet elevation gain) in June, and then the Enchantments (21 miles, 5000 feet elevation gain) in July.

The very best to those struggling with knee/joint issues. Keep working at it!

Do you do any quad building exercises? cycling or stationary bike should really help. PT said the more muscle you have in your quads the less strain is put on your knees.
I'd confirm this with your specialists or another non-surgical specialist. I also wouldn't bike ride on busy public streets or one-lane roads. Drivers are too careless.
Hopefully you are eating more anti-inflammatory foods in your diet if you haven't already done so.
Good luck.

 

[a10best]

My doctor warned me that my insurance wouldn’t pay for HA shot and so, I didn’t bother trying to get them to approve it.

I got a single injection shot (Durolane) and it cost less than $300. I feel like it helped me for about 2 years during which I played tennis 8-9 times a week and so, it was worth it. After two years, I am starting to get slight soreness again in my knees still playing at the same rate. I have very little cartilage left too and had a meniscus arthroscopic surgery three years ago which didn’t help much.

My orthopedic doctor told me 2 years ago in 5 years I'll likely need a knee replacement or meniscus surgery from the MRI.
I spoke with a returning patient in the office who said he got two knee replacements and does bike riding for 10 miles to strengthen his quad muscles. He said low impact quad exercises for the legs are key.
PT also said use the stationary bike to build up your quads as well as lunges.
An older former athlete I know regrets getting knee surgery and seeing him walk so gingerly makes me very hesitant.

8-9 times a week is a lot of tennis for me being that I haven't taught it p/t for 20 years which kept me playing more. I tend to always take a day off or my singles game suffers.

I take one Advil before tennis and play every day on hard courts. I took a HA shot in early 2020 which helped for maybe about 18 months to reduce soreness. For some reason, I’m less sore when I play tennis daily than when I have to take a break for a few days due to travel or other reasons. Once in a while, I’ll also use IcyHot spray if the soreness is more than usual before I play.

I heard a few holistic doctors "not recommend" taking Advil or others NSAIDs due to it causing inflammation. It relieves pain but still causes inflammation.

Common Painkillers Like Ibuprofen May Worsen Joint Inflammation

Millions of people who take widely prescribed anti-inflammatory drugs like naproxen and ibuprofen to ease joint pain may unintentionally increase swelling and discomfort in their knees over time, a new study suggests.

www.everydayhealth.com

https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2022-11-22/could-nsaids-like-ibuprofen-aleve-make-arthritic-knees-worse

Don't trust me I'm not a doc. Do your due diligence from other sources.

Thanks everyone for sharing your experience. It's a serious issue.

 

[Injured Again]

Hello all. @TripleB - I hope your recovery continues and that you're doing well.

My left total knee replacement is scheduled for December 27th. It was the soonest that my ortho had available a month ago when I committed to the surgery.

I don't remember what I last posted so here's a recap. In April, I had an HA injection and in May, was traveling around Italy lugging around 100 pounds of luggage. The knee was good despite all of the stairs there are in Europe. I came back home and resumed tennis thinking my knee would be good. In reality, the twisting and sideways bending still resulted in the typical amount of pain and weakness I had prior to the HA shot. So I hobbled along playing tennis, and worked to get ready for a long, one day, bucket list hike with my son that would be 21 miles long with 5000 feet elevation gain and 7000 feet elevation loss.

That hike happened in mid-July and involved a lot of scrambling and steep slopes both up and down. There was also a long boulder scramble four miles in where I fell hard due to instability in my left knee. I tore myself up a bit and ruptured my left tricep from catching my pole on my fall. Still, we finished the hike but both knees swelled up and I could not walk normally for a week.

I resumed playing tennis but could barely move. My left knee was sore and so in August, committed to the left TKR. Then, my wife and I left on a three week road trip with an emphasis on hiking most every day - this trip had been in the works for a year so we went. For the first week, my knee was painful with every step. Then over the course of the next week, the pain mostly went away despite the almost daily hiking.

We returned a few weeks ago and my knee is still mostly painfree even when playing tennis, but it just feels like it is a matter of time before it flares up again. I still have limited tennis mobility, and can't run, so I'm going to continue with surgery.

As a last gasp and since there's really nothing I can do now to hurt my knee more, I signed up to play open level singles in our club tennis tournament. Competing with guys 30 years younger will be tough but fun.

I'm going to work my butt off to get as strong, flexible, and light as possible before the surgery. I'm keeping fingers crossed for a good outcome. I do have a tendency to keloid so internal scarring may be an issue but I will work as hard as possible to get back to some semblance of my previous self.

Best of luck to all of you knee pain sufferers out there.

 

[onehandbh]

Hello all. @TripleB - I hope your recovery continues and that you're doing well.

My left total knee replacement is scheduled for December 27th. It was the soonest that my ortho had available a month ago when I committed to the surgery.

I don't remember what I last posted so here's a recap. In April, I had an HA injection and in May, was traveling around Italy lugging around 100 pounds of luggage. The knee was good despite all of the stairs there are in Europe. I came back home and resumed tennis thinking my knee would be good. In reality, the twisting and sideways bending still resulted in the typical amount of pain and weakness I had prior to the HA shot. So I hobbled along playing tennis, and worked to get ready for a long, one day, bucket list hike with my son that would be 21 miles long with 5000 feet elevation gain and 7000 feet elevation loss.

That hike happened in mid-July and involved a lot of scrambling and steep slopes both up and down. There was also a long boulder scramble four miles in where I fell hard due to instability in my left knee. I tore myself up a bit and ruptured my left tricep from catching my pole on my fall. Still, we finished the hike but both knees swelled up and I could not walk normally for a week.

I resumed playing tennis but could barely move. My left knee was sore and so in August, committed to the left TKR. Then, my wife and I left on a three week road trip with an emphasis on hiking most every day - this trip had been in the works for a year so we went. For the first week, my knee was painful with every step. Then over the course of the next week, the pain mostly went away despite the almost daily hiking.

We returned a few weeks ago and my knee is still mostly painfree even when playing tennis, but it just feels like it is a matter of time before it flares up again. I still have limited tennis mobility, and can't run, so I'm going to continue with surgery.

As a last gasp and since there's really nothing I can do now to hurt my knee more, I signed up to play open level singles in our club tennis tournament. Competing with guys 30 years younger will be tough but fun.

I'm going to work my butt off to get as strong, flexible, and light as possible before the surgery. I'm keeping fingers crossed for a good outcome. I do have a tendency to keloid so internal scarring may be an issue but I will work as hard as possible to get back to some semblance of my previous self.

Best of luck to all of you knee pain sufferers out there.

If your knee is still operational in mid December, I'll be up in your neck of the woods for a hit before you get TKO'd from the your TKR.

 

[Injured Again]

If your knee is still operational in mid December, I'll be up in your neck of the woods for a hit before you get TKO'd from the your TKR.

I was offered a slot a couple of weeks ago in place of someone who had backed out but we were too busy with my mother-in-law's 100th birthday activities to take that. So if no other earlier opening comes up, I am intending to play tennis through December 26th.

If there are any others in the Seattle area who want to get together for some tennis, let's do it!

 

[sherpa]

It's just over three months since I had a knee replacement and finally I'm seeing some decent improvements. It was pretty slow going for the first six weeks, with progress being what I thought was quite slow but steady. Once I hit the three month mark I've had some decent gains in terms of pain and range of motion. I've been pushing 135-140 degrees of movement and finally walking down stairs and slopes with much less pain. I've been riding my EMTB a couple of times a week on basic trails/cycleways and I've been playing competition Table Tennis [doubles] for about three weeks now, but being careful not to push the movement too far. I started playing pickleball before my operation, as Tennis was just becoming too painful, so I might give that a go in a week or so, fingers crossed
Cheers Greg

 

[Injured Again]

@sherpa Continued good luck and good recovery!

My TKR is exactly four weeks from today. Actually knowing that it is so close has been freeing - I’m pushing quite a bit harder on my knee and just dealing with the added pain. On the court, I’ve been running harder and twisting more on my knee, so while it really hurts, I’m getting around the court pretty well and playing some of my best tennis for the last couple of years.

I’ve also ramped up strength building in preparation for the few months of downtime. I’m doing leg presses with almost 1.5 times my body weight. That really hurts and I break out into a dripping sweat from the pain but I feel it’s worth it. I‘m at the point now that if I severely hurt my knee, well, it’s getting replaced anyway.

My wife and I have a hiking vacation in the desert southwest starting about eight weeks post-surgery, and we have a month-long trip starting mid-April where we will be walking or hiking close to ten miles a day. I have an exercise bike all set up in the house for me to pedal as often as the swelling will allow me. I’d rather aim for the stars and have to dial back rather than to give less than 110% to the recovery. I‘m hoping to resume playing competitive singles starting around June, and that will give me 18 months to get ready for my first year in the 65’s.

Well, that’s the plan! We’ll see how well it all turns out!

Keep the updates coming - every post is an inspiration to me. Best of luck to all of you with new knees!

 

[sherpa]

I started walking the dog probably 5- 6 weeks after surgery but found downhills painful as well as going downstairs. Even at the stage I'm at now after three hours of table tennis the knee is starting to get sore and getting into the car to come home is definitely more painful than going there. My personal advice prior to surgery would be to keep the weight off and concentrate on flexibility as putting clothes on as well as socks and shoes can be a real challenge if you can't easily touch your toes. I just shoveled and barrowed two tonnes of topsoil today, taking my time of course. The knee felt a little sore afterwards, but after doing my stretching exercises it feels fine now. I was very cautious in the early days of the surgery as I was given an App to do exercises before and after surgery. After surgery the App gave you a range of exercises to do which after one look at the suggested activities I decided not to do them. When the Hospital Pyhsio came around I showed her the exercises and she agreed they were over the top and suggested I concentrate on range of movement. My Health Fund provided a visiting Physio for the first four weeks, but progress was slow as I had significant swelling and bruising. The last couple of weeks I have been visiting the Physio that does our local national football team and he has also had a TKR. Once again he has concentrated on pushing the range of movement above everything else.
Good luck with your surgery and don't be too impatient as everyone keeps telling me you're three months into a year recovery, ouch.

 

[Injured Again]

I’ve been working at flexibility and can reach several inches beyond my toes, and have a painful 140 degree range of motion in my soon to be replaced knee. I’ve got a few pre-op PT sessions scheduled to make sure I’m as ready as I can be, and have a dozen post-op PT sessions scheduled starting on day 5. This will be my fifth major reconstructive surgery so I’ve got a good idea of the recovery process and also understand where I tend to have unrealistic expectations. My ortho and PT both say it’s a much better situation that they have to slow me down rather than having to push me to do the post operative work that I should be doing.

They both emphasize gaining range of motion is the primary goal, and that recovery of strength and muscle mass starts only after full range of motion is achieved. I just don’t want to lose too much before the knee heals to support the resistance training that I normally do. Both my ortho and PT are on board with the resistance work I’m doing as they say the stronger I can get myself now, the easier the recovery to athletic movements will be In the months after the actual surgery.

impatience is probably my worst attribute. If I were 40, I know I’d have a lot of time ahead of me. At 62, I still have a long bucket list and not that much time to get it all done. Combined with high pain tolerance and I can see why I could be a difficult patient to reign in.

Three hours of table tennis! There’s a lot of twisting there so that’s a great sign. And if you ever want any additional work moving bark and topsoil around, I’d be happy to have you over!

 

[SteveI]

@sherpa Continued good luck and good recovery!

My TKR is exactly four weeks from today. Actually knowing that it is so close has been freeing - I’m pushing quite a bit harder on my knee and just dealing with the added pain. On the court, I’ve been running harder and twisting more on my knee, so while it really hurts, I’m getting around the court pretty well and playing some of my best tennis for the last couple of years.

I’ve also ramped up strength building in preparation for the few months of downtime. I’m doing leg presses with almost 1.5 times my body weight. That really hurts and I break out into a dripping sweat from the pain but I feel it’s worth it. I‘m at the point now that if I severely hurt my knee, well, it’s getting replaced anyway.

My wife and I have a hiking vacation in the desert southwest starting about eight weeks post-surgery, and we have a month-long trip starting mid-April where we will be walking or hiking close to ten miles a day. I have an exercise bike all set up in the house for me to pedal as often as the swelling will allow me. I’d rather aim for the stars and have to dial back rather than to give less than 110% to the recovery. I‘m hoping to resume playing competitive singles starting around June, and that will give me 18 months to get ready for my first year in the 65’s.

Well, that’s the plan! We’ll see how well it all turns out!

Keep the updates coming - every post is an inspiration to me. Best of luck to all of you with new knees!

Best of luck! Hope all goes perfect!

 

[ace18]

I’ve been working at flexibility and can reach several inches beyond my toes, and have a painful 140 degree range of motion in my soon to be replaced knee. I’ve got a few pre-op PT sessions scheduled to make sure I’m as ready as I can be, and have a dozen post-op PT sessions scheduled starting on day 5. This will be my fifth major reconstructive surgery so I’ve got a good idea of the recovery process and also understand where I tend to have unrealistic expectations. My ortho and PT both say it’s a much better situation that they have to slow me down rather than having to push me to do the post operative work that I should be doing.

They both emphasize gaining range of motion is the primary goal, and that recovery of strength and muscle mass starts only after full range of motion is achieved. I just don’t want to lose too much before the knee heals to support the resistance training that I normally do. Both my ortho and PT are on board with the resistance work I’m doing as they say the stronger I can get myself now, the easier the recovery to athletic movements will be In the months after the actual surgery.

impatience is probably my worst attribute. If I were 40, I know I’d have a lot of time ahead of me. At 62, I still have a long bucket list and not that much time to get it all done. Combined with high pain tolerance and I can see why I could be a difficult patient to reign in.

Three hours of table tennis! There’s a lot of twisting there so that’s a great sign. And if you ever want any additional work moving bark and topsoil around, I’d be happy to have you over!

Hey Injured Again: I had a TKR in Feb of 2022. I had stopped playing tennis for nearly a year before my TKR because my recovery after playing tennis took too long. I did pick up hiking in the place of tennis and logged a lot of hiking miles. I hiked the day before surgery and was in very good physical condition going into surgery. The surgery went well and I did PT right after surgery, same day. From that point, I did PT 3 days a week with a great therapist and I did PT every day on my own. I was off the walker in a day or two and off the cane a few days after that. A week after surgery, I drove to get a haircut. I drove myself to all my PT appointments after the first week.

Having a great PT that pushed me really hard and putting in extra PT on my own allowed me to recover fast. I don't recall how long, but my range of motion improved very quickly and I was at 130 fast. My surgery was Feb 23, on April 10 I hiked 4 miles with hiking sticks. I took it easy in April and May and started hiking more in June. I hiked about 400 miles from June to the end of the year.

About a year and 2 months after my TKR, I started playing tennis again. It was a struggle, especially with movement, side to side, front and back but I've gotten much better in both of those categories over the last 3 months. I'm playing the same level I last played, probably even better with the exception of some movement issues. I think my body is more balanced after having surgery.

You can do it, just remain diligent and continue hiking. It was a great exercise for me and I continue hiking a lot. Once key for me is taking Meloxicam prior to playing tennis. It helps me with the inflammation. I still get a swollen knee and stiffness after playing tennis or hiking.

Feel free to direct message me at any time to ask questions, advice, etc. Best of luck to you.

 

[Injured Again]

@ace18 Your story is reassuring! My wife and I fly out exactly eight weeks from my surgery date for a hiking trip that was planned before the surgery was scheduled. You did it in about six weeks so I know it is possible. And even if not, the trip down to the desert southwest will be good just to escape the soggy Pacific northwest winter.

Was there a reason you waited over a year before playing tennis? I’m hoping to start back into competitive singles training at the 5 1/2 month mark. Most of my friends who have had a TKR have been back on court in well less than three months, even if they only have one or two steps of mobility. I worry that I won’t be able to help myself and will run or lunge for something I shouldn’t, but if I do heal well, I also don’t want to unnecessarily put off playing.

 

[ace18]

@Injured Again I waited because from 2018 to 2022 I had numerous knee issues and surgeries leading up to my TKR. I still loved the game, but the game took a toll on my body after playing. Once I got my TKR, I said, I won't play competitively again. I fell in love with hiking and was hiking 4 to 5 days a week when I got to the point I could. A little over a year after my TKR, my friend asked me if I wanted to sign up for his team, I said nope.

A few weeks later, I decided to give it a go. It wasn't easy, I hadn't hit the ball in nearly 2 years, so I was swinging freely and swinging really well, I lost my bad habits. Just couldn't move, lol. So, it was more a matter of my choice.

I was 56 when I had my TKR. I've been a 4.5 for years but got dropped to 4.0 this season due to my TKR and its the right level for me now. After hiking or playing, my knee gets stiff, but it never hurts. I twisted my knee pretty good hiking after the TKR, I was worried a little, but there was no issue. Have to be careful going down hill and pay close attention to rocks, roots, etc. I had the surgery on my left knee.

 

[Injured Again]

@ace18 That's great information! My wife and I have been avid and lifelong hikers and I'm planning on using hiking as rehab. There are times when I'm hiking and when I'm playing tennis, that I don't notice the knee much at all. Then, there are times when it's really limited and every step hurts. If a new knee could just get me back to where I don't notice the knee much at all, all the time, that would be an outcome I would be more than happy with, even if I can't ever get back to the mobility that I had prior to first injuring that knee.

I've been a gym rat since my late teens and I hope to continue that. My ortho says that it should be possible to resume heavier resistance training for my legs but that the knee will let me know what is possible and determine how fast I can progress. I already have muscle mass loss in my left leg ( my left knee is the one that is bad) so I want to get back into the gym as soon as I can. Did you do any resistance training beforehand and if so, did you resume (and when) afterwards?

Thanks!

 

[ace18]

@ace18 That's great information! My wife and I have been avid and lifelong hikers and I'm planning on using hiking as rehab. There are times when I'm hiking and when I'm playing tennis, that I don't notice the knee much at all. Then, there are times when it's really limited and every step hurts. If a new knee could just get me back to where I don't notice the knee much at all, all the time, that would be an outcome I would be more than happy with, even if I can't ever get back to the mobility that I had prior to first injuring that knee.

I've been a gym rat since my late teens and I hope to continue that. My ortho says that it should be possible to resume heavier resistance training for my legs but that the knee will let me know what is possible and determine how fast I can progress. I already have muscle mass loss in my left leg ( my left knee is the one that is bad) so I want to get back into the gym as soon as I can. Did you do any resistance training beforehand and if so, did you resume (and when) afterwards?

Thanks!

@Injured Again I did do weight training. I was in the gym 3 days a week with a personal trainer helping me build strength and prepare for the surgery. I was back in the gym about a month after my TKR. I did leg lifting when I was ready which wasn't long after surgery and continued working out with the trainer for all of 2022 until I had a rotator cuff tear in my left shoulder. lol. You sound like you are doing all the right things and it sounds like you will be as motivated as I was to get back exercise as quickly as you can.

I will tell you, your knee will feel weird for a really long time. It took over a year before the skin around my knee cap didn't feel numb. It's all a part of the process. I also lost a lot of muscle mass on my left leg, my PT noticed that right away. Some of the PT exercises are more painful than others. I made sure to do extra reps for the ones that were painful. Also, elevate a lot, ice a lot, stretch a lot. I've never one that has done squats with weights, but I did squat exercises with exercise ball and other variations without weights.

 

[Injured Again]

@ace18 This will be my fifth major surgery so I’m pretty familiar with the skin numbness. Fortunately for me, every surgical site has recovered to near normal sensation but it did take several years in the case of my ankle. It’s so strange to rub the joint when it hurts internally but there minimal sensation on the skin.

I have three PT appointments pre-op, two of those with the PT who will be doing my post-op rehab. The pre-op appointment with the surgical team should be interesting as the ortho says it’s really designed for people who have been primarily sedentary, but it is a mandatory part of their process so I’ll use the session to ask questions about how to best know when I’m overdoing things after surgery.

Thanks to your stories, I’ve committed to doing Half Dome and the Grand Canyon rim to rim with my son in 2024. I did the Bright Angel trail to the river and back with him when he was eleven, so this time we’ll give the full north rim to south rim trail a go. He’s carrying the pack this time though!

I really do appreciate the support from you and everyone. This surgery is different because the other ones have been to repair stuff. This time, it’s something that has worn out and that’s scary thinking that other joints are not far behind. I mentally need to hear from those on the other side who have gone back to doing the things they love.

 

[ace18]

@ace18 This will be my fifth major surgery so I’m pretty familiar with the skin numbness. Fortunately for me, every surgical site has recovered to near normal sensation but it did take several years in the case of my ankle. It’s so strange to rub the joint when it hurts internally but there minimal sensation on the skin.

I have three PT appointments pre-op, two of those with the PT who will be doing my post-op rehab. The pre-op appointment with the surgical team should be interesting as the ortho says it’s really designed for people who have been primarily sedentary, but it is a mandatory part of their process so I’ll use the session to ask questions about how to best know when I’m overdoing things after surgery.

Thanks to your stories, I’ve committed to doing Half Dome and the Grand Canyon rim to rim with my son in 2024. I did the Bright Angel trail to the river and back with him when he was eleven, so this time we’ll give the full north rim to south rim trail a go. He’s carrying the pack this time though!

I really do appreciate the support from you and everyone. This surgery is different because the other ones have been to repair stuff. This time, it’s something that has worn out and that’s scary thinking that other joints are not far behind. I mentally need to hear from those on the other side who have gone back to doing the things they love.

@Injured Again I think you will do great and have a very positive outlook. I'm on the east coast and do a lot of Appalachian Trail hiking. A good buddy and I are talking about a trip to the Grand Canyon to hike in the near term. Best of luck to you. I look forward to following your recovery here!

 

[PMF]

Hello all. I have a sister who is suffering with the same issue, and she is asking if there is a particular brand (or dosage) of glucosamine you are using? Unfortunately, she's got a meniscus tear in her right knee, with little or no cartilage remaining (arthritis). She's had three hyaluronic injections already, plus a few steroid shots. The treatments do make it feel better, but it only lasts a few months, so her primary-orthopedic-specialist has recommended a total knee replacement, and she's in the process of getting more opinions.

 

[Injured Again]

Hello all. I have a sister who is suffering with the same issue, and she is asking if there is a particular brand (or dosage) of glucosamine you are using? Unfortunately, she's got a meniscus tear in her right knee, with little or no cartilage remaining (arthritis). She's had three hyaluronic injections already, plus a few steroid shots. The treatments do make it feel better, but it only lasts a few months, so her primary-orthopedic-specialist has recommended a total knee replacement, and she's in the process of getting more opinions.

I have been taking a glucosamine supplement for probably the better part of twenty years. I believe the medical evidence that glucosamine works is not clear, and anecdotally seems to work better for preserving rather than regrowth, just like for collagen supplements and stem cell or PRP treatments. Once the cartilage is gone, there are no treatments to regrow it.

Meniscus tears also don’t fully heal but do become better over time. My full thickness tear from 20 months ago is pretty much not troubling me, partly because whatever healing that could have happened has done so, and because of cartilage loss I’m less physically capable of extreme movements.

Steroid shots have been shown in the medical literature to accelerate decline of cartilage and meniscus, and many doctors won’t use them now.

I’ve also had the HA shots and they helped me walk with much less discomfort for about three months. They were never that beneficial for tennis-like movements. I’m getting the HA shots in my other knee, as well as still taking glucosamine and collagen, to try to preserve whatever remaining cartilage I still have.

Best of luck to your sister!

 

[PMF]

I have been taking a glucosamine supplement for probably the better part of twenty years. I believe the medical evidence that glucosamine works is not clear, and anecdotally seems to work better for preserving rather than regrowth, just like for collagen supplements and stem cell or PRP treatments. Once the cartilage is gone, there are no treatments to regrow it.

Meniscus tears also don’t fully heal but do become better over time. My full thickness tear from 20 months ago is pretty much not troubling me, partly because whatever healing that could have happened has done so, and because of cartilage loss I’m less physically capable of extreme movements.

Steroid shots have been shown in the medical literature to accelerate decline of cartilage and meniscus, and many doctors won’t use them now.

I’ve also had the HA shots and they helped me walk with much less discomfort for about three months. They were never that beneficial for tennis-like movements. I’m getting the HA shots in my other knee, as well as still taking glucosamine and collagen, to try to preserve whatever remaining cartilage I still have.

Best of luck to your sister!

Thanks. I really appreciate it, and I will let her know. Once cartilage is gone, I figured there weren’t many options.

 

[sherpa]

At the start of the year I had cartilage repair surgery done which basically turned out to be unsuccessful. The surgeon only did the surgery because of my active lifestyle, but four weeks after the surgery as soon as I started to play tennis and ride my mountain bike, I was worse off than before. I had no instability in the knee just cartilage that had worn through. However I am continuing to make steady progress after my TKR, and after four months had my first game of Pickleball last week, which went better than expected. In 3 hours of playing I probably didn't get to about four short balls ,by choice, and my general movement was about 8/10. I was a little sore afterwards but after doing my stretches everything felt OK. I would say for a 'normal' lifestyle my knee would be 8/10, but I want to continue to do my sports and build my confidence up to the point where I can play tennis again. Walking down stairs although slowly getting better is still painful particularly under the kneecap, I'm assuming the kneecap must cop a bit of a workover when they move it out of the way to do the surgery.
Cheers Greg

 

[Injured Again]

@sherpa Continued best of luck in your recovery!

I had my pre-op appointments on Friday and I got my ice machine today. Already have a walker, have a recumbent exercise bike, and a mini gym set up downstairs.

I’m feeling like I should record one of my last tennis sessions so I can see how well the recovery goes and have some basis for comparison. We’ve finalized a trip where we will return on May 15th so that will be 20 weeks post-TKR and when I will be hoping to restart serious on-court training.

My ortho talked about cemented versus pre-fit implants. Which ones did you all get? The cemented in ones are as strong as they will ever be right after surgery whereas the press-fit ones rely on bone growth into the implant and will get stronger over time. I worry that at my weight and with the force generating capability I have, that the cemented in ones can loosen over time. Probably in ten years when I’m in my 70’s, that won’t be as much of an issue but who knows. Maybe I‘ll still be physically capable enough that the press-fit is a better option.

 

[atatu]

@sherpa Continued best of luck in your recovery!

I had my pre-op appointments on Friday and I got my ice machine today. Already have a walker, have a recumbent exercise bike, and a mini gym set up downstairs.

I’m feeling like I should record one of my last tennis sessions so I can see how well the recovery goes and have some basis for comparison. We’ve finalized a trip where we will return on May 15th so that will be 20 weeks post-TKR and when I will be hoping to restart serious on-court training.

My ortho talked about cemented versus pre-fit implants. Which ones did you all get? The cemented in ones are as strong as they will ever be right after surgery whereas the press-fit ones rely on bone growth into the implant and will get stronger over time. I worry that at my weight and with the force generating capability I have, that the cemented in ones can loosen over time. Probably in ten years when I’m in my 70’s, that won’t be as much of an issue but who knows. Maybe I‘ll still be physically capable enough that the press-fit is a better option.

Good idea to record your pre-surgery tennis, I'd be curious to see.

 

[Injured Again]

Good idea to record your pre-surgery tennis, I'd be curious to see.

I’m pretty curious as well. I think I’m still fairly quick from side to side and moving forward for about three steps but once I get moving, I can’t run with a longer stride length as that really hurts, and I don’t recover well. I can’t backpedal at all so I can’t get to many deeper lobs.

Playing today with my son and tomorrow with a guy of similar age but with 5.0+ strokes. Will get some video from both.

 

[Injured Again]

Good idea to record your pre-surgery tennis, I'd be curious to see.

Did not get any video of my session against my son but in a rush, I grabbed the dashcam off my car and threw it on a tripod for my hit the following day with another mid-60's guy that has had two hip and one knee replacement. We try to go non-stop with six balls and to always to put a good hit on the ball, pushing the envelope of our timing, and eventually my fitness. I have to say the ball looks a lot slower than it feels like when we're hitting. I do try to hit generally down the middle since his movement is more compromised than mines is, but he's got such sweet strokes.

Because it's a dashcam and I dislike putting together a video with just the best rallies, I've included the raw footage in the three minute chunks that the dashcam records. I grabbed two consecutive videos from about half-way through our hit, and the last video is after 85 minutes when we hit our last rally balls before doing some light serving to end our day. I didn't look through all the videos but saw these and thought they showed my current ability to move, along with the comical physical collapse at the end. All those spots on the ground are drops of sweat.

I can see a lot of changes in my form since my left knee problems started. I hit a lot of forehands off my back leg because planting and twisting on my left knee hurts, and that has reduced my ball speed by a few MPH. I used to be able to crush a forehand pretty good but I don't try that now because it hurts, and I hope I haven't lost that ability. I pretty much ignore the pain when the ball is in play but I walk/shuffle really stiffly in between. And I remember that in that last video, when I went forward and tried to hit a topspin backhand on my way to the net, that I pushed off my left leg and got a sharp twinge in my knee. I don't push off when I serve. And that's on top of lack of ability to recover quickly to get back into position, and having a stride length that's only about 60% of what it should be. And losing the pounds I gained because I can't do the athletic things I want to do. It's almost depressing to see how much work there is to do, to undo the bad stuff that has happened in the last couple of years. And that's not to mention that at age 62, I'm losing physical ability every day. Ugh...

Let me know what else you guys see in my movement that I should pay attention to when I get back on court in about May.

 

[SteveI]

Did not get any video of my session against my son but in a rush, I grabbed the dashcam off my car and threw it on a tripod for my hit the following day with another mid-60's guy that has had two hip and one knee replacement. We try to go non-stop with six balls and to always to put a good hit on the ball, pushing the envelope of our timing, and eventually my fitness. I have to say the ball looks a lot slower than it feels like when we're hitting. I do try to hit generally down the middle since his movement is more compromised than mines is, but he's got such sweet strokes.

Because it's a dashcam and I dislike putting together a video with just the best rallies, I've included the raw footage in the three minute chunks that the dashcam records. I grabbed two consecutive videos from about half-way through our hit, and the last video is after 85 minutes when we hit our last rally balls before doing some light serving to end our day. I didn't look through all the videos but saw these and thought they showed my current ability to move, along with the comical physical collapse at the end. All those spots on the ground are drops of sweat.

I can see a lot of changes in my form since my left knee problems started. I hit a lot of forehands off my back leg because planting and twisting on my left knee hurts, and that has reduced my ball speed by a few MPH. I used to be able to crush a forehand pretty good but I don't try that now because it hurts, and I hope I haven't lost that ability. I pretty much ignore the pain when the ball is in play but I walk/shuffle really stiffly in between. And I remember that in that last video, when I went forward and tried to hit a topspin backhand on my way to the net, that I pushed off my left leg and got a sharp twinge in my knee. I don't push off when I serve. And that's on top of lack of ability to recover quickly to get back into position, and having a stride length that's only about 60% of what it should be. And losing the pounds I gained because I can't do the athletic things I want to do. It's almost depressing to see how much work there is to do, to undo the bad stuff that has happened in the last couple of years. And that's not to mention that at age 62, I'm losing physical ability every day. Ugh...

Let me know what else you guys see in my movement that I should pay attention to when I get back on court in about May.

Thanks for sharing..

 

[Injured Again]

I had my last pre-op visit with the therapist who will be doing all of my post-op rehab. After some uncomfortable manipulation, I can get from zero degrees to 140 degrees at about the limit of pain tolerance. We would both be happy with that range of motion afterwards.

I also showed him the three videos from my previous post and he will work with me afterwards to walk normally again. He says I’m walking much more bowl-legged than I really am, and that may be also because of the start of hip problems. Like sheesh, will it never end. So I’ve got some more PT sessions scheduled to evaluate not only my walking but running gait.

I‘ve got my ice machine, which is basically a cooler with a motor in it that pumps chilled water through a compression sleeve. I’ve got the downstairs bedroom and bathroom ready, and have my mini-rehab gym all set up. Apple TV and Disney plus subscriptions are up to date. Snacks are in the pantry. The UW Husky football team (my alma mater) plays on New Year’s Day.

Two more hitting sessions, the last one the day before my surgery. I just want to get this done. How did you guys cope with that sense of urgency before you had your operations? I’m not nervous since this will be my fifth major surgery but after waiting four months, it just needs to happen. It’s the coping with waiting that’s the most difficult.

 

[sherpa]

I was lucky enough to test positive for Covid the day before I was due to be operated on and as a result my surgery was put back three months. I was all psyched up and ready to go and then my wife picked up Covid after a trip away with her girlfriends, needless to say I was a little cheesed off. Anyway I am four months into the recovery process and I continue to improve slowly. I have played pickleball twice now and have just realized table tennis [playing twice a week] is much faster and puts more strain on the joints than pickleball. Pickleball just seems to give you 'time' to play your shots which you don't get in tennis or table tennis, maybe because the plastic ball seems to be slower through the air. I have a really good range of movement [140 degrees] and the only real issue is pain under the kneecap walking down stairs, but it is getting better.

 

[ace18]

I had my last pre-op visit with the therapist who will be doing all of my post-op rehab. After some uncomfortable manipulation, I can get from zero degrees to 140 degrees at about the limit of pain tolerance. We would both be happy with that range of motion afterwards.

I also showed him the three videos from my previous post and he will work with me afterwards to walk normally again. He says I’m walking much more bowl-legged than I really am, and that may be also because of the start of hip problems. Like sheesh, will it never end. So I’ve got some more PT sessions scheduled to evaluate not only my walking but running gait.

I‘ve got my ice machine, which is basically a cooler with a motor in it that pumps chilled water through a compression sleeve. I’ve got the downstairs bedroom and bathroom ready, and have my mini-rehab gym all set up. Apple TV and Disney plus subscriptions are up to date. Snacks are in the pantry. The UW Husky football team (my alma mater) plays on New Year’s Day.

Two more hitting sessions, the last one the day before my surgery. I just want to get this done. How did you guys cope with that sense of urgency before you had your operations? I’m not nervous since this will be my fifth major surgery but after waiting four months, it just needs to happen. It’s the coping with waiting that’s the most difficult.

@Injured Again I walked bowlegged as well but I think its straightened itself a bit. I'm still about 2 inches shorter because of knee issues I've had over the last 5 years. I also lost a lot of muscle mass on my left side since I've been favoring my right side. I'm now hitting the ball better because I'm more balanced again. I worked really hard at re-building the muscles on the left side.

A good friend of mine that had a TKR before me, had a lot of issues with his IT band after surgery. I did as well and at times, it made it pretty difficult to do leg exercise and stretch without a ton of pain. If that happens, you gotta just suck it up and get through the pain. You will get through it.

My bedroom is upstairs with no downstairs bedrooms. I was fine with my stairs the day I got home from surgery. I was just very careful, slow, and made sure one of my kids was nearby. One step at a time. Going down can be more challenging and painful as your leg stretches more, stretching your new knee can hurt.

I was like you, I wanted to get it done. I was hiking well prior to needing my knee replaced, I went strong for about a year. A few months before surgery, hiking became extremely painful. Because of that, I was ready to get the procedure done. One I got to the ortho office, it all happened very fast from operating table to the PT appt practicing on their steps. I really don't remember much of the PT appt as I was still pretty drugged up.

At times I second guessed having the procedure. Just be patient, you will start doing things quickly. I was walking around the neighborhood, short distances soon. I was off my walker in 2 days and I remember taking the walker out and walking a block and back right after surgery. Each time it got a little easier. I advanced from the neighborhood walk to the weight room to hiking in 6 weeks. Each accomplishment made me proud. I knew that I was going to get through it and get through it fast because I was determined.

Today, as I look back, I am SO HAPPY I had the procedure done. I never look back. My right knee will be a candidate for a TKR in the future but I think getting my left knee fixed has bought me a lot more time for my right knee since I no longer favor my right leg for everything weight bearing.

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and loads of luck. Please keep us posted.

 

[Injured Again]

@sherpa @ace18 Thank you both so much for your replies!

My surgery is scheduled for 2 pm tomorrow. I wish it were earlier in the day, but am glad it is finally almost here.

My right knee and hip have been taking the brunt of athletic movements as well so I also hope things on that side will last longer once I get my left knee fixed. I’m going to continue with HA shots in my right knee as a preventative.

My PT has sent me a preliminary outline of what we will be doing at about when, and he plans on having me back in the gym doing light squats to 90 degrees between weeks two and three. Like @ace18 says, having those accomplishments makes it easier to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Playing tennis today and will follow up with a gym session, and now that I have all morning tomorrow, will get one more gym session in then before getting my new knee.

Thanks to everyone for your messages. It helps more than you can know to get me through all of this waiting and the rehab that I know is still to come.

 

[sherpa]

Good luck, I'm sure you will be fine, you have a good surgeon and you have done all that you can do to aid the recovery. My knee continues to improve, went for a 15klm bike ride yesterday on my 'analog' bike and my knee actually feels a bit better today. I think I'm going to start to try and get some decent muscle tone back to try and improve the kneecap pain.

 

[SteveI]

@sherpa @ace18 Thank you both so much for your replies!

My surgery is scheduled for 2 pm tomorrow. I wish it were earlier in the day, but am glad it is finally almost here.

My right knee and hip have been taking the brunt of athletic movements as well so I also hope things on that side will last longer once I get my left knee fixed. I’m going to continue with HA shots in my right knee as a preventative.

My PT has sent me a preliminary outline of what we will be doing at about when, and he plans on having me back in the gym doing light squats to 90 degrees between weeks two and three. Like @ace18 says, having those accomplishments makes it easier to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Playing tennis today and will follow up with a gym session, and now that I have all morning tomorrow, will get one more gym session in then before getting my new knee.

Thanks to everyone for your messages. It helps more than you can know to get me through all of this waiting and the rehab that I know is still to come.

Good luck... please keep all of us informed of your journey.

 

[Injured Again]

Had my knee replacement done starting at 3 pm today. Used a nerve block with a sedative and after hugging a pillow to bend and expose my back, I don’t remember anything until waking up around 6 pm. Operation time was scheduled for 2 hours 15 minutes.

i felt kind of light headed for about 30 minutes afterwards. They gave me some cookies and juice which I devoured. The physical therapist then came by to get me up to stand and to walk. I was pretty nervous about that but had no problems with either standing or walking. I had near zero degrees straightening and about 100 degrees of comfortable bending and felt like I could do more. So they kicked me out! My long suffering wife looked like a proud parent, which made me feel good as this is the fifth major operation I’ve put her through.

I treated myself to some Taco Time (I think this is a local higher end fast food Mexican place) tater tots on the way home. Plugged myself into my ice machine and did the cooling and exercises on the hour about five times.

I got something that I think is not common. There is a pump which infuses a light anesthetic through a tube inserted into the front of my leg, through the quad muscle to reach a nerve bundle. It’s supposed to work until Saturday and reduce pain by about 50%. Maybe because of it and the nerve block, I have basically no discomfort.

Very happy to be done, and hopeful for progress to continue. Thanks again to everyone on this thread for all your advice, words of wisdom, and support! I can’t thank you enough!

 

[SteveI]

Had my knee replacement done starting at 3 pm today. Used a nerve block with a sedative and after hugging a pillow to bend and expose my back, I don’t remember anything until waking up around 6 pm. Operation time was scheduled for 2 hours 15 minutes.

i felt kind of light headed for about 30 minutes afterwards. They gave me some cookies and juice which I devoured. The physical therapist then came by to get me up to stand and to walk. I was pretty nervous about that but had no problems with either standing or walking. I had near zero degrees straightening and about 100 degrees of comfortable bending and felt like I could do more. So they kicked me out! My long suffering wife looked like a proud parent, which made me feel good as this is the fifth major operation I’ve put her through.

I treated myself to some Taco Time (I think this is a local higher end fast food Mexican place) tater tots on the way home. Plugged myself into my ice machine and did the cooling and exercises on the hour about five times.

I got something that I think is not common. There is a pump which infuses a light anesthetic through a tube inserted into the front of my leg, through the quad muscle to reach a nerve bundle. It’s supposed to work until Saturday and reduce pain by about 50%. Maybe because of it and the nerve block, I have basically no discomfort.

Very happy to be done, and hopeful for progress to continue. Thanks again to everyone on this thread for all your advice, words of wisdom, and support! I can’t thank you enough!

Thanks for your update. Glad to hear you are up and moving..

 

[Injured Again]

Thanks for your update. Glad to hear you are up and moving..

Steve, thanks for all your support through the years and especially now!

Had a good night’s sleep and am equally comfortable this morning. The med pump in my thigh must be working well. The skin on the front of my lower quad, knee, and upper shin are numb.

I can bend to 90 degrees with no assistance and about 110 degrees assisted with no discomfort. I’m a bit worried I might bust the incision open and that will be a question for the surgeon when he contacts me later today.

My foot is a bit swollen but there seems to be minimal swelling in my leg and knee. I am walking with a walker but not leaning on it at all. My house is not configured well for extended walking so I may be heading to a mall later today. I also plan on hopping on a recumbent stationary bike today.

The major issue is my quad muscle is sore and cramping a bit from having the med pump tube through it. I’m taking oxy as a preventative but I hate the light headedness and the bit of unsteadiness that brings. How long were you guys on oxy after your surgeries?

 

[Injured Again]

As expected, the swelling has really kicked in. My lower leg is not that swollen but my thigh is very tight. It hurts significantly to bend to the same range mostly because the muscles in my thigh are so fluid filled that tensing them like when walking, or when they are stretched, is painful. The knee joint itself is not that painful.

I can still pedal the bike and am doing that. Still walking but not as much. I can see why patients are hesitant to push through this level of discomfort.

It’s a process!

 

[sherpa]

The issue I found was that I could personally stand the pain, but in the back of my head I was worried about the swelling [I had plenty around the thigh] and the bruising [again around my thigh] Despite what you have as a plan you also need to listen to your body as one of the young female physios told me. She advised me to keep tabs on the swelling by measuring my thigh during the day and allow about an inch increase before stopping for the day. For me I concentrated on keeping the range of movement as the number one priority as muscle can be worried about at a later date and that kept the swelling down as well. I had a stationary bike as well which I didn't use that much, mainly because it increased the swelling and yesterday after four months I rode 32klms with no dramas at all

 

[Injured Again]

The issue I found was that I could personally stand the pain, but in the back of my head I was worried about the swelling [I had plenty around the thigh] and the bruising [again around my thigh] Despite what you have as a plan you also need to listen to your body as one of the young female physios told me. She advised me to keep tabs on the swelling by measuring my thigh during the day and allow about an inch increase before stopping for the day. For me I concentrated on keeping the range of movement as the number one priority as muscle can be worried about at a later date and that kept the swelling down as well. I had a stationary bike as well which I didn't use that much, mainly because it increased the swelling and yesterday after four months I rode 32klms with no dramas at all

Thanks!

Today was definitely a tough day. The swelling around the thigh made it hard to bend and contract the muscle like when walking. I still was able to ride the bike several times and it puts my knee at 90 degrees as I go over the top. I was still able to go to about 100 degrees but the pain factor was considerably higher. It seems to have gotten a bit better at the end of the day so I hope tomorrow is a bit easier.

I had a conversation with my ortho’s PA and was assured I couldn’t do anything to hurt my thigh despite the pressure. And to keep the emphasis on range of motion.

I was told by the ortho that not only was I bone on bone between the leg bones but also behind the kneecap. The knee doesn’t hurt much in bending - I’m limited by my thigh tightness. I can straighten to near zero with only mild discomfort behind the knee.

Onward!

 

[sherpa]

I have had several major surgeries before this, two cartilage operations and a knee reconstruction and a hernia as well and I was honestly convinced in my own mind that I would be really pain free and pretty much recovered after the three to four month period, but unfortunately it is just a slow process, for me anyway. I have had broken ribs and torn tendons and ligaments and a real good case of plantar fasciitis and they have all been over within six weeks. I keep trying to work out what is causing the pain and why is it still there sixteen weeks later? For me the weekly improvements have been slower than expected and I continue to get frustrated, but if I was just leading a relatively conservative lifestyle then the knee would probably be pretty good. But because I want to get back doing the things that I really enjoy that's when I get frustrated. Yours does sound very similar to mine in the early stages, just keep your chin up, keep doing your exercises and remember you're in it for the long haul.

 

[ace18]

@Injured Again I think you sound like you are on a good track. After a few days, maybe a week, I started taking less pain meds. i mostly took them at night and before PT.

My upper leg was swollen and black and blue. I don’t recall how long it took for that to subside.

I too worried about tearing open my incision but once they took the bandaid off and I saw all those staples, it was pretty impressive. Of course, I didn’t do anything crazy but continued to push PT hard. My favorite exercise was putting my TKR foot on a landing 2 steps up, bending knee forward. It hurt like crazy but I think it helped stretching for better range of motion.

Could your thigh tightness be IT band related? My IT band was very painful.

Keep pushing ahead. We are here for you!

 

[ace18]

@Injured Again 110 range of motion is awesome, I was at 100 on day 2. I hit 108 on day 12, 125 on day 36 and 130 on day 42

 

[Injured Again]

The thigh pain was definitely from swelling. It was warm and extremely firm.

And despite a rough twelve hours or so, when I got up to pee in the middle of the night, the swelling had subsided enough that I could walk, bend, and flex the knee with considerably reduced pain. I have been taking the oxy about every six hours and did not take one from about 8 pm last night. I can feel more sensation on and in the knee. It is so much less painful than when my thigh was super swollen. I’m tempted to see if I can do without it, though today is also the day I remove this anesthesia pump from my thigh.

I have no bleed through or bruising yet anywhere on my leg. I hope today is a good day as far as keeping the swelling from getting as bad as yesterday.

@sherpa @ace18 THANK YOU for the words of experience and support!!

 

[Injured Again]

Have to say that I was pretty worried yesterday when my thigh ballooned up and the swelling caused me to lose range of motion. The swelling is still substantial but has decreased below the point where the pain it creates prevents me from bending the knee more than 90 degrees. The swelling hasn't increased to anywhere near the point it did yesterday and I've been pretty careful today not to try to do too much. I have this pump that is putting anesthetic through a tube into my quad and it gets removed tonight. If the swelling hasn't increased tomorrow, I'll go at it again more aggressively.

Here's my knee bend from today (day 3):

I could probably get another 10 degrees by pushing deep into the pain but that's for tomorrow. This bend is where the quad feels tight and the pain level is at about five or six.

I'm so much more stable on my feet today. Still using a walker but not leaning on it at all. And only one oxy this morning. I am going to try to get off it totally. I'm riding a recumbent bike doing five minutes at 80 RPM with knee bend right at 90 degrees, five or six times a day. I'm also doing sets of 20 calf raises using my body weight, and sets of 15 body weight squats to about 80 degrees, five or six times a day after riding the bike. Everything is good - fingers crossed!

Onward!

 

[yonexRx32]

Please let is know how the knee replacement surgery went. I hate to say it but sooner than later I a going to need a knee replacement. I hope everything went well and that you are recovery is also going well.

He's doing great.. Already in Australia, preparing for the start of the season, then AO